One Step from Paradise
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: When Sofia's amulet summons her to aid someone, she's rather taken aback when she discovers that she's in a bizarre alternate universe. Even stranger than that is the person in need of her assistance: Cedric. (Plot idea from Mr. Shortman92)
1. The Absentia Realm

One Step from Paradise

Summary: When Sofia's amulet summons her to aid someone, she's rather taken aback when she discovers that she's in a bizarre alternate universe. Even stranger than that is the person in need of her assistance: Cedric. (Plot idea from Mr. Shortman92)

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or the OCs mentioned here. The Absentia Realm and its OCs belong to Mr. Shortman92. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: So apparently, Mr. Shortman92 was inspired by "Chasing Fate" for this story. There's a bit more silliness in here, but there are still some elements of seriousness here and there. 😉 Let's see what all these new AR (Alternate Realm) characters are like, shall we?

* * *

Chapter 1: The Absentia Realm

* * *

Sofia and Cedric were resting on his bed in his bedchambers while Nana was already sleeping between them. They'd had a long, hard day of work, trying to get the workshop prepared for an upcoming observation tomorrow. That's right: sometimes, every few years, someone from the Conjuror's Board would check in to make sure everything was in pristine working condition and that no banned spells or potions were being practiced or even observed. And although they both knew all the members very well by now, since Cedric had a bit of a past with Malango the Magnanimous, they weren't taking any chances. Especially when the little one between them depended on _both _of them.

"I don't remember you being observed in the past," Sofia told him tiredly as he loosely held her hand, stroking her knuckles with his thumb.

"That's because you either weren't here during that time, or because I made sure you were preoccupied with other things," he reasoned. "They came to observe when you and your family were away on your trip to Avalor, during which I'm told you freed Princess Elena. And then I recall them coming one morning while you were still attending Ever Realm Academy. I'm sure there were a few more times, but I can't recall them all right now."

"Oh…" She nodded. "That explains it then." She smiled sleepily at him, tightening her hold on his hand and causing him to cease his previous movements. "You'll do fine."

"Oh, I have no doubt this time," he chuckled. "Not with my dedicated partner having helped me prepare."

The princess laughed. "That's what I'm here for." She blinked as she heard a faint tinkling sound, and upon looking down she noticed her amulet beginning to shimmer. "Um… It hasn't done _that _in a while…" She released Cedric's hand and sat up, tossing her ponytail behind her before grasping her amulet. "I think…" She frowned in realization before quickly glancing toward Cedric. "I'm sorry, Cedric, but I think a princess needs me—" Before she could even finish her statement, she'd disappeared before his very eyes.

Cedric stared at the other side of his bed in awe. She'd just…vanished. But then again, stranger things had happened, and she was well equipped to handle herself and any situations that might arise. And if it was just a princess in need of help? "She'll be all right," he assured himself before smiling gently as Nana made a soft sound before scooting closer to him, nuzzling into his robe. "There, there, my love," he whispered, wrapping his arms around the little girl. "She'll be back soon. No worries." He sighed, realizing he was probably on his own for the observation if this princess mission of hers took more than a day. "No worries…"

_..._

* * *

Sofia blinked open her eyes and glanced around. She was sitting on a plush bed, made up with royal purple and maroon bedding. She was facing the wall, where she could see a familiar window seat. She frowned before glancing around at a few more things. "I'm in…my room?" But it was so strange, because while the structure looked the same, the color scheme and décor appeared to be rather different. If she didn't know any better, it almost looked like…

"Who are you?" asked a very familiar voice from behind her. "And what are you doing in my room?"

The princess turned, her blue eyes widening in surprise. There, beside the door, was…Cedric. But he didn't look quite the same as the Cedric she'd come to know and love. This Cedric wore a more fashion-forward version of his purple robe, which hung open and down by his sides. His sleeves were rolled up to just above his elbows instead of flowing down to his hands. She could see the favored green button-up shirt, maroon vest with lovely gold buttons, dark slacks and shoes, and golden bowtie that _her _Cedric would wear (though he often kept his robe tied over the clothing, due to his common belief that he should dress modestly in court; in fact, she'd all but decided long ago that his robe was something of a security blanket for him, which she totally understood). He still had his gloves. And… She slid off the bed and approached him carefully, gaping at him. "What happened to your hair?"

Cedric appeared to be alarmed as his hands quickly flew to his hair and he yelped, hurrying over to look in a large mirror next to his walk-in closet. He frowned in confusion as he observed his reflection: his jet-black hair (sans gray bangs) was just as it always had been. He wasn't sure what this strange girl was talking about, but he was about to get to the bottom of it. "What are you talking about? My hair is immaculate, as always." He glanced back at the intruder. "The better questions still remain the ones you've yet to answer: _Who are you? And what are you doing in my room?_"

Sofia scoffed. "Excuse you, but this is _my _room. I—" She was caught off guard as she noticed a few things she'd overlooked. Not only did he have an Enchantlet—_her _Enchantlet, no less—fastened around his right wrist, but hanging around his neck was also a highly familiar item. "The Amulet of Avalor…" She glanced down at her own version, her hands clasping it as she gasped. "Oh, my gosh… This _is _your room, isn't it?"

"I was trying to—"

"I've been summoned to another _realm_," she realized, interrupting him by accident as she glanced up at the sorcerer, who'd approached her curiously.

"What are you rambling about, girl? Of _course_, this is my room. You're an intruder, and I should summon the guards!" He glanced around out of sheer curiosity. "How _did_ you get in here, anyway? The door was magically locked, and the window is far too high…"

Sofia was hardly paying attention to him as she tried to process her current situation. Keeping one hand clasped on her own amulet, she reached up to Cedric's amulet and grasped it, pausing his mini rant.

"You have…" He looked at the twin amulets, his mouth dropping. "You have one too?"

The princess nodded before releasing his amulet, which she noticed he grasped protectively (so similar to what _she _would do in that situation). "Your amulet must have summoned me… Which would mean…" She gasped, finally understanding. "You need my help."

Cedric scoffed. "And why in the Absentia Realm would I need _your _help? I'm Cedric the Great, the most powerful sorcerer in the realm! Why should I need help from a…?" He scrunched his nose up as he circled her, causing her to spin slowly to watch him. "What are you, anyway? An elf? A flightless fairy, perhaps?"

She groaned in exasperation. "I'm a human, for your information." Realizing his train of thought as he suddenly poked at her shoulder with one finger, she slapped his hand away before glaring at him as he appeared to nurse his 'wound.' "Wait, are you calling me _short_?"

"I'd say that's a bit of a stretch, wouldn't you?" he asked, shaking out his hand as he then folded his arms. He then smirked as she glared at his choice of words. "No pun intended, of course…"

"Hmph…" She was really starting to miss _her _Cedric. This one was a bit too aloof and jokey for her taste. In fact, she was highly suspicious of this sorcerer, especially because of one reason. "Why _do _you have the Amulet of Avalor anyway?"

"Um, because it's mine?" he responded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Why are _you _wearing it?" He pointed toward her version, which appeared to be an exact copy of his.

Sofia, growing defensive and stern, especially since she wasn't fully prepared to trust this version of Cedric, activated her Enchantlet and created a lasso, yanking him toward her and withdrawing her wand from her dress robe, pointing it at his throat threateningly, which caused him to whimper in surprise. "What have you done to the royal family?" she challenged seriously.

"N-Nothing!" Cedric exclaimed, slightly alarmed by this strange girl's actions, especially considering how strong she appeared to be, despite her size. "I mean… I braided the princess's hair this morning. I ate lunch with the Queen, but—"

"I don't believe it…" Sofia's eyes widened at his words as her hold on the lasso strengthened, a mild look of shock on her face. What if he'd succeeded in his quest of taking over her kingdom, like _her _Cedric had attempted all those years ago? What if he was exerting his power over the family? "What sort of sick, twisted game are you playing, Cedric? Forcing them to eat with you? Braiding their hair? What other horrible things have you done or are you planning to do to them?"

"You have _got _to be kidding me!" he retaliated, gulping as she pressed her wand closer to him. "Whoa, calm down, would you?! I didn't _force _anyone to do _anything_! The Queen and I always eat lunch together, and aside from her mother, I'm the only one Princess Amber entrusts with her hair!"

"Wait…" Sofia calmed down a bit as she seemed to come to a new realization, a perplexed expression passing over her features. "No… It can't be…" She eyed him carefully, mentally preparing herself for the next question, though she had a pretty good idea what his answer would be. "Who are the current rulers of Enchancia?"

"Is this a joke?" He sighed as she glared at him, and he rolled his eyes, responding calmly, "The current rulers of Enchancia are King Roland and Queen Lorelei. They have two children as well: Princess Amber and Prince James. Satisfied?"

Sofia merely stood there for a moment in stunned silence, taking in his words. She'd pretty well known what his response would be, but the news was still hard for her to process. One tidbit in particular stood out to her. "Queen Lorelei…is alive?" Her voice was quiet and contemplative as he eyed her curiously.

"Of course, she's alive! Why wouldn't she be?" He attempted to break free from her magical lasso but found it nearly impossible. Perhaps because he was fighting against the same strength of powers that he himself possessed? He didn't know for sure. It was nearly impossible to fathom at this point. "Will you let me go now?"

"Oh! R-Right…" She instantly retracted her lasso and sheathed her wand. "I'm so sorry, Cedric. Can you forgive me?"

"You speak my name as though you know me," he responded in mild amusement with a smile as he tried to work his arms to get blood flow to them again. "And of _course_, I can forgive you. But first…" His next moves happened so quickly that Sofia didn't have time to react: he activated his own Enchantlet and cast a lasso, subduing the princess and catching her off guard. With the roles now reversed, Cedric withdrew his own wand from his robe before aiming it toward her. "You're going to tell me who you are and why you're here."

"Okay, fine," she relented, sighing. "I guess I deserve this." She rolled her eyes as the sorcerer gave her a sarcastic smirk. "I'm Princess Sofia of Enchancia, from the Ever Realm. My parents are King Roland and Queen Miranda. And…" She frowned. "I already _told _you why I'm here!"

Cedric rolled his eyes. "Right, yes, of course. My amulet 'summoned you to help me.' No offense, my dear, but as you can see, _I'm_ not the one who needs help." He grinned. "After all, who's the one currently tied up?" He chuckled as she huffed. "I think _you're _the one who needs help, _Princess_ Sofia of the Ever Realm." However, he paused as something she'd previously mentioned drew his attention. "Wait, did you say that your mother's name is Miranda?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"That's funny," he murmured. "We have a Miranda in our kingdom, but she's no queen. She's the Royal Shoemaker. She actually secured the job after making an exceptionally comfy pair of slippers for King Roland." He grinned. "I suppose you could say that she's the 'Queen of Making Shoes.'" He glanced down at his custom-made black loafers, which apparently Miranda had also created.

"That's her!" Sofia laughed in relief. "And that actually happened in my realm too. Only, after she made the slippers for the king, they fell in love, got married, and my mom and I moved into the castle. And we've been there over ten years now." She smiled fondly as she recalled the day that she became Princess Sofia.

"…Over a pair of slippers?" Cedric asked in disbelief, blinking as Sofia nodded eagerly. "That's so stupid." He suddenly burst out laughing, releasing Sofia from the confines of his lasso.

"Hey!" she countered. "It's not stupid! It's sweet!" Though even _she_ couldn't help laughing a bit, considering how silly it sounded when she said it out loud to another person.

The sorcerer gained control of his laughter before asking, "So if King Roland married your mother in your realm, does that mean that Queen Lorelei…?" He couldn't bring himself to finish that question. Not about someone whom he considered a very good friend.

She nodded sadly. "Gone… It happened when the twins were born."

"We almost _did_ lose her that night," Cedric added softly, recalling perhaps the scariest moment of his life. Suddenly, he felt arms around him. Glancing down, he noticed that the princess was hugging him. _Why _was she hugging him? They'd just met! He swallowed nervously and awkwardly patted her back. "Um, there, there…" Finally, seeing she wasn't letting go, he shook his head and carefully pried her from him, startling her a bit. "Why are you even hugging me?"

She offered him a bewildered look before responding, "You seemed a bit sad, so I was comforting you." Because that's what she always did for _her _Cedric. Surely _this _Cedric would get that, right?

"Well, it honestly had the opposite effect… How would _you _feel if you were hugged by some random stranger?"

Sofia giggled softly. "I'm sorry. I forgot for a moment that this is an alternate reality for me. I usually hug _my _Cedric whenever he's sad."

"_Your _Cedric?" he wondered, motioning for her to sit on his bed as he sat next to her. "So… You and I know each other in your realm?"

"We're partners!" she enthused with a proud smile.

"Partners, eh?" He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Princess, but I didn't even know that the Balthazars _had _a daughter until today. However, Miranda has brought their son, Corban, to the castle a few times since he was born."

Sofia's eyes widened a bit at this new information. "Wait… So, Corban also exists in this realm?" Seeing Cedric nod, she released a sigh. "And… My father is…alive?"

"How often do people die in your realm?" Cedric asked, only half-serious but truly curious.

"Not as often as you probably think," she laughed. She reached up and gently stroked his jet-black bangs, causing him to inhale sharply as her fingers brushed against his forehead. "How did you fix your hair anyway? What happened to your gray bangs?"

Collecting himself, Cedric appeared confused by her inquiry. "What do you mean? My hair has always looked like this." He sighed as Sofia lowered her hand again.

"What about 'the incident' at Cordelia's Sorceress Ball? You know, when she accidentally ruined her own hair then blamed it on you by mistake?"

He slowly shook his head. "None of that ever happened, _fortunately_." He rolled his eyes. "To be fair, had anything bad ever happened to Cordy's beautiful hair, it would be a rather dark time for Enchancia."

She smiled, rolling her eyes. "You have no idea." It was clear to her now that this Cedric had experienced a much easier life than her own, but that begged a very serious question. "Everything _seems_ fine here. So, why would your amulet summon me?"

"I'm not sure, but perhaps it will realize its mistake soon enough and you can be on your way home." He smiled at her. "Until then, would you like to meet Queen Lorelei, since you were unable to do so in your own realm?"

Sofia nodded happily. "I would love that!"

He smiled. "Let's go then."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: A Royal Honor


	2. A Royal Honor

One Step from Paradise

Summary: When Sofia's amulet summons her to aid someone, she's rather taken aback when she discovers that she's in a bizarre alternate universe. Even stranger than that is the person in need of her assistance: Cedric. (Plot idea from Mr. Shortman92)

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or the OCs mentioned here. The Absentia Realm and its OCs belong to Mr. Shortman92. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Brace yourselves. While this story is mostly humorous, there are some emotional parts in it. But chapter 2 isn't even the big emotional one; wait till chapter 4 for that. Haha. Meanwhile, let's see how Sofia and Absentia Cedric get along, not to mention a few others. 😉

* * *

Chapter 2: A Royal Honor

* * *

Cedric was originally leading Sofia through the castle grounds, though at one point, he did finally slow down enough to just walk beside her. In fact, it was more interesting to actually talk to her while being near her, rather than to continue walking ahead of her. In many ways, they were just alike: same taste for adventure, same trinkets (at least the amulet and Enchantlet), same missions, and the same general positive outlook on life. But he also knew how different they were.

She was a princess while he was a royal sorcerer. She'd clearly gone through a number of hardships and come out triumphant while he'd had a relatively easy life. She was from the Ever Realm while he was from the Absentia Realm. But still… There was an undeniable bond that he could feel with her, though he wasn't really sure what to make of it.

"So, tell me something," Cedric began as he clasped his hands behind his back, "the…_me_ in your realm…"

Sofia smiled and rolled her eyes at his phrasing. "Yeah?"

"What is…_that _Cedric like?"

She giggled softly. "How much time do you have? I could talk about _my _Cedric all day…"

Cedric lifted an eyebrow toward her. "Oh, really?"

The princess nodded. "Yeah. He and I are partners, as I told you, and he's the best friend I've ever had. He's funny, kind, brave, noble, loyal…" She frowned thoughtfully. "He didn't have it easy growing up though, and he's made some questionable decisions in the past, but the outcome after everything was said and done was incredible."

"Hmm. Care to elaborate?"

So she did. While they continued walking, Sofia explained everything: from Cedric's past experiences, to their initial meeting, to becoming his friend and apprentice, to his betrayal and redemption, to his involvement in helping her along the way (including the Vor incident), to everything thereafter with her being a Protector, a sorceress, a Story Keeper, and so many other things. "And he was there, every step of the way," she concluded, giving him a soft smile. "My Cedric isn't perfect, but he's mine—er, my partner and…yeah." She sighed in mild relief as the Absentia Cedric's Enchantlet activated, distracting him from her for a moment as a gentle breeze caressed her warm cheeks, cooling them. "Hmm."

"Orion?" Cedric asked cautiously as he saw the Wind Walker in his vision. "Is something wrong?"

"Orion?" Sofia asked quietly, a bit surprised.

"You tell me," Orion returned, his arms folded and his gaze steady as ever. "We've detected a second magic source in your area, and we've gathered that it's very similar to your own."

"Oh, is that all?" Cedric chuckled before turning his Enchantlet a bit, so that Orion was now facing Sofia, who smiled sheepishly and waved shyly. "Orion, meet Sofia. She's from the Ever Realm. Apparently, my amulet was feeling lonely and decided to invite one of its counterparts for a 'play date.'" He laughed and gestured toward the princess's own amulet.

"Ah," the older Protector acquiesced as he nodded. "Very well then. A rather strange situation, but these days, I am very much able to say that I've seen stranger." He chuckled. "In that case, do have a good day, Cedric. And nice to meet you, Sofia."

"Same, Orion," she replied softly as Cedric deactivated his device after bidding the other man goodbye.

"That was Orion, my trainer. He checks in every now and then to see how things are going."

"Yeah…" She glanced at his Enchantlet, a focused expression on her face. "I meant to ask you about that. So… You're clearly a Protector like me, huh?" Seeing him nod, she then asked, "And…Orion trained you?" Again, he nodded. "Chrysta trained me when I was younger." Acknowledging that he appeared ready to say something, she frowned. "And don't you dare say that it's because we're both 'fairies' or something."

He grinned at her. "I was only going to point out how nice it was of Orion to find you a trainer your own size." He laughed as she playfully hit him on the arm.

"Don't be mean," she admonished, laughing herself. She glanced around and took in all the beautiful flowers and numerous plants. "So, why are we in the gardens?"

"Because Queen Lorelei likes to work with plants; she claims it's soothing." He shrugged. "I once offered to teach her a spell to conjure daisies, but she said no."

Sofia blinked before turning as she heard a voice nearby.

"Yes," the voice began gently, sounding so much like Amber that the princess did a double take, "because magic may be able to replicate the look and feel of a flower, but they definitely smell better when you know that you are the one who planted them." The woman in question leaned in toward a rose bush and inhaled the aroma wafting from each bloom.

Cedric scoffed. "What does that even mean?"

The woman smiled and dusted off her dress before approaching the other two. "It means that a conjured flower is _not _the same as a real flower, but you know that well, my friend." She glanced toward the princess next to the sorcerer. "Oh, Cedric, are you going to introduce me to your new friend?" She then frowned curiously. "And…why is she wearing the amulet I gave you?"

'_**She **__gave him the amulet?!_' Sofia thought in awe, definitely taken aback by this new information.

Cedric rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "She's not my friend, Lori. And _that's_ not my amulet." He gestured toward his own amulet. "See?" He then nodded back toward the princess. "Her name is Princess Sofia. She's from the Ever Realm version of Enchancia."

Lorelei tilted her head. "The Ever Realm?"

"Don't ask," Cedric finished, shaking his head. "It's a long story."

Sofia stepped forward and curtsied respectfully, smiling up at the blonde woman before her. "Sofia. It is such an honor to meet you, Your Majesty." Realizing the implications and wanting to save herself from a very _long _explanation, she corrected herself by saying, "Um… _Here_, anyway… Everyone's always so different in other realms."

Lorelei looked nearly identical to Amber, though her hair was up in a bun rather than down and flowing like Amber preferred, and she opted more for the golden range of color shades than the chartreuse that her daughter had adopted. Her voice was perhaps a step lower than Amber's, and she was a few inches taller. But other than that, it was clear where her sister got her looks and personality from. The queen smiled at Sofia. "It is a pleasure to meet you too, Princess Sofia." She wanted to ask how this girl was a princess of Enchancia when she looked nothing like any of her own children, but she turned back to the castle when she heard Baileywick calling out to her. "Oh, I must hurry along. I promised Baileywick that I would be available for yet another gown fitting." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "As if I do not have enough gowns."

The princess smiled. Now that's one place the mother and daughter _did _differ. To Amber, you could never have _enough _gowns.

The queen reached out to Cedric and gently squeezed his hand, causing him to smile. "I will see you later, Cedric. I hope you two have a good time." With that, she left.

"Wow," Sofia breathed, staring after the departing woman. "She's amazing. I wish I could get to know her better." She lowered her head. "But honestly, I feel kind of selfish. Here I am, having actually _met _her, and yet Amber and James never did in _my _realm. I don't think that's fair at all."

"Couldn't you just…_wish _for them to meet?" Cedric asked, somewhat innocently and hopefully as he clasped his hands over his amulet. "You know, like how the amulet grants wishes a lot of times?"

Sofia smiled sadly at him. "I don't think that's how it works, Cedric… If it could, I promise you, I would have already wished for it."

Seeing that she appeared to be somewhat down (and not liking that one bit), Cedric extended his arm to his visitor, causing her to blink. "How would you like to meet the rest of the family? _This _version of them?"

The princess nodded, accepting his offered arm. "I think that would be great. But maybe…I shouldn't tell them I'm a princess, considering the circumstances?" She saw him nod thoughtfully. "I sort of wish I'd thought to do that with Queen Lorelei, but…" She shrugged. "With the others, we'll just say that I'm…a sorceress from another realm, which _isn't _a lie." She smiled as he seemed to agree.

While they headed back to the castle, Cedric decided to let Sofia in on a little secret. "Given what you told me about the formerly strained relationship between your father and my counterpart," he began, "I think what I have to tell you now will be somewhat surprising."

"And what's that?" she asked, glancing up at him, her arm still linked with his. He might have _looked_ like her Cedric, but his air was different—more confident and assured. And given his job as not only a sorcerer but also _all _the jobs _she _had, his frame was a bit more muscular than she was used to, so he didn't…_feel _the same. But still…

"It was Queen Lorelei who gave me the amulet, as you already heard, and both she _and_ King Roland who insisted that I stay in one of the royal bedrooms…practically as part of the family." He smiled thoughtfully. "We've been close since we were all younger, so it's been wonderful to have that connection with them."

Sofia was surprised to hear this information. But it made sense, considering how different things seemed to be here. She smiled thoughtfully. "That's wonderful, Cedric… I'm glad to hear that." What were the odds that the bedroom _this _Cedric had was actually her own back in the Ever Realm? She often wondered what things would have been like had the circumstances been different for her own Cedric, but now, she knew the potential results. And as wonderful as they were, she knew he was perfectly fine with the outcome he'd been granted.

And for now, that was enough.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Unity Mission


	3. Unity Mission

One Step from Paradise

Summary: When Sofia's amulet summons her to aid someone, she's rather taken aback when she discovers that she's in a bizarre alternate universe. Even stranger than that is the person in need of her assistance: Cedric. (Plot idea from Mr. Shortman92)

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or the OCs mentioned here. The Absentia Realm and its OCs belong to Mr. Shortman92. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Okay! Prepare yourselves for a _massive _surprise in this chapter. 😉 Sofia's in for the shock of her life, so let's see how she handles it. (Hint: A bit more emotionally handled than you'd think, so prepare yourselves. Lol) Also, more bonding with her and Absentia Cedric. 😊

* * *

Chapter 3: Unity Mission

* * *

Sofia easily could admit to being captivated by the simplicity and general goodness of the Absentia Realm. She'd spent pretty much the entire day with not only Cedric, but also the royal family. Happily enough, Amber and James were the same, although a great deal more playful and much happier on both sides. Not to say that her own siblings weren't playful and happy, but these two acted a lot more like _twins _in this realm, and on the sillier side at that. Amber still loved fashion and parties (and she and Desmond were still engaged here, though not married yet); James still loved cannons and was a knight in his own right. Ultimately, things seemed to turn out relatively similar to her own realm.

Roland was completely different yet vaguely similar. He still had the air of kindness that she expected of him, but he was _also_ a lot happier and didn't have that guilt of losing his first wife plaguing his mind. It struck her that this Roland probably didn't make that awful wish for children and instead let things take their natural course. While she felt bad that her own dad hadn't been able to experience _this _reality, she was still grateful for what she had with him.

They stuck with Sofia's plan of not fully explaining who she was, and instead just saying that she was a sorceress from the Ever Realm (which was true). It would be far too complicated and emotionally draining to have to explain that the vivacious and endearing Lorelei no longer existed in her own realm. And how would she even explain that to Lorelei herself, if she were to return from her meeting with Baileywick? There would always be that element of distrust with Roland (since it was allegedly his wish that caused her downfall, and that old adage of 'being careful what you wish for' ringing oh-so-true), and that idea of what-if would likely destroy this happy and peaceful realm.

Sofia, being a Protector, vowed to _protect _this realm from that reality. It was hers, not theirs, so they shouldn't have to worry about it.

* * *

After hanging out with the royal family, Cedric invited Sofia up to his workshop for some downtime, and so that he could work on an important potion. Surprisingly to him, she agreed. She almost seemed elated to be in a familiar location again, surrounded by so many books and magical items.

"You look right at home," he teased, watching her inhale slowly before smiling as she looked around.

"It even _smells_ the same," she explained as she sat on a stool across from him.

He chuckled after using his wand to withdraw all his necessary ingredients and notes. "In this case, I suppose that's good to know." He shrugged as she began uncorking a few of the bottles. "There's nothing quite like the smell of magic."

"I agree." Sofia then glanced at his list. "Oh, a healing potion, huh?" She smirked at him. "And here I thought _nothing _bad happened in this realm."

"Oh, not necessarily." He waved one hand. "A few times, we'll have some scratches and scrapes from accidentally falling or slipping, but nothing too major. Still, the healing potion certainly helps get others back in tip-top shape quicker." He blinked as she reached forward and picked up a few of the aloe sprigs, snapping them open. "What are you doing?"

"Helping," she responded simply, busying herself with the usual task of potion preparation. "I help Cedric back in the Ever Realm all the time."

"Oh, right… Apprentice, partner, sorceress, etcetera, eh?" He smiled as she shrugged. "By all means, carry on."

They worked in a comfortable silence for a while until the princess broke it with a question that had been plaguing her mind since she'd arrived. "So… How is _Wormwood _in this realm?"

Cedric nodded. "He's doing fine. He and his best friend Nina, another raven, like to spend a great deal of time together flying through the forest most days, since he can't stand to be cooped up in the castle." He rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if he returned to tell me that he was the father to five hatchlings or something though. I've seen how smitten he is with her."

Sofia laughed. So it appeared that Wormwood in this realm was even better, _and _had a love interest? He and Nina in the Ever Realm were close, but their relationship was definitely tamer, from what she saw. She allowed a few more moments to pass before finally asking, "So…are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

He blinked at her question. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Cedric." She reached down and grasped her amulet, holding it up for him to see. "The amulet brought me to you for a reason, and it's not because 'it's been glitchy lately,' or 'it was lonely,' or whatever excuse you want to create. It only reacts when something isn't right, and you know that." Hearing him sigh, she dropped her amulet to its place before reaching over, gently placing her hands over his, causing him to glance down at her own hands. "What's wrong? You can tell me."

Cedric sighed heavily. "All right, I'll tell you… The truth is that I'm not entirely sure _what's _wrong with me." He slid his hands from hers and descended the stool, beginning to pace in the room. "All I know is that I've been rather down lately. It's ridiculous!" He scoffed, waving his hands in frustration. "I'm the most popular sorcerer in the realm. I'm a Story Keeper, a Protector, the owner of the Amulet of Avalor, and a well-respected member of the royal court as the royal sorcerer! I work for people who treat me like their own flesh and blood. I'm invited to all sorts of grand events, where I kiss people's hands and shake their babies!" He disregarded the fact that he'd mixed up his last sentence, especially with Sofia snickering at his outburst. "I have _everything_…" He suddenly paused, sighing sadly as he folded his arms. "So then… Why do I feel like something is missing?"

A look of realization passed over the princess's features, and she nearly slapped her forehead. "Of course… Something _is _missing, Cedric." That caused him to turn to her. "I don't know why I didn't see it before. It's so _obvious_." She slid from her stool and walked toward him, standing before him. "My Cedric doesn't have most of what you have, but he does have _one_ thing you don't."

"And what's that?" he asked uncertainly, wondering where she was going with her point.

"Me!" She smiled happily, placing her hands on her hips. "I've just got to see if there's another 'me' here, and I'll help bring you two together. That way, everyone is happy, and I can go home!" She giggled.

"Wait, hold on a minute now." He reached out to her, placing his hands over her shoulders and causing her to drop her arms to her sides and stare up at him quizzically. "I'm not so sure about this, Sofia. What exactly are you saying? You want us to find the other _you _and…what? _Partner _us up or something?"

Sofia blushed at his wording and sighed. "Cedric, when I said that my Cedric and I are partners, I meant we work together and… And help each other out. N-Not that we don't care about each other and love each other…"

He laughed softly. "See, when expressed in _that _context, what was I _supposed_ to think?"

She gestured vaguely. "We're best friends! We travel the world together, we work together, we are raising our adopted child tog—oh…" She smiled sheepishly as he raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay, yeah, I see what you mean…" She shook her head. "Look, Cedric is very important to me—"

"_Obviously_," he joked, smirking as she blushed again. "Sorry. Continue."

"…And… Whether you want to admit it or not, you probably _need_ a little bit of excitement in your life." She grinned and flipped her hair dramatically yet playfully, laughing as he sputtered when it hit him in the face. "And not to brag, but we _do _make a good team." She smiled, taking his hand. "And I know my life was better with a version of you in it. Who's to say it won't be the same here?"

He looked down at their hands before slowly nodding. "About that whole…excitement thing…" He smiled sheepishly as she looked toward him curiously. "There's something I haven't told you yet."

"What? Did you also suffer the same birthday over and over again until it was 'perfect?' Or graduate top of the class from Royal Prep? Or-?"

"I have a child too."

She froze upon hearing those words. Of all the things he could have told her, _that _was least expected. "I… I'm sorry, what?"

He sighed and rubbed his right hand across his left arm, his left hand still holding hers. "Sometime last year, two Protectors I used to work closely with—Fabrizio and Florentina—fell tragically during a mission."

"O-Oh…" And here, she believed everything to be overly _happy _in this realm. Losing two close friends and Protectors during a mission? "I'm… I'm sorry, Cedric…"

Cedric nodded as she squeezed his hand gently. "They left behind a daughter: a little fairy named Fayette." He turned and walked toward his cabinets, opening them to demonstrate several childish drawings tacked to the wooden surface.

Sofia walked up next to him and looked over all the drawings. Many consisted of three fairies (a man, a woman, and a child—all three with reddish-pink hair and green eyes), though some newer ones toward the front seemed to portray Cedric and the little girl he was talking about. She narrowed her eyes at the image of whom she assumed to be Fayette and mumbled to herself, "It…can't be…"

"She drew her own little family over and over for a few months," he explained. "But this past summer, she finally started drawing pictures of herself with me." He slowly shut the cabinets before turning and gripping the table behind him as he sighed and glanced toward Sofia. "She's an amazing child, Sofia. Smart, sweet, fun, silly… And even though I was technically the one to 'adopt' her, she stays with my sister quite often due to my many obligations."

"So, you…have your own little one too?" Seeing him nod, she asked, "Pink hair, green eyes, rather tiny, can't speak?"

"Y—Well, yes to everything, except the last part. She speaks well and _a lot_." He chuckled, missing the look on Sofia's face. "And as she's a fairy, she has these bright pink wings that—" He was startled when she grasped his robe, pulling him toward her with a serious expression. "S-Sofia?"

"Show me, please." She collected herself, releasing his robe, before modifying her desperate plea to, "If you don't mind… Could I please meet Fayette?"

"Oh… Sure." He wasn't quite sure what had gotten her so rattled, but he turned and beckoned her forward, leading her out of the tower and toward his sister's room.

'_Keep it together, Sofia… It's just a fairy version of Nana…who can talk._' She inhaled slowly, trying to calm her nerves. Her little Nana could not speak—and had not spoken since she'd met her. To actually meet a child who looked like her Strawbaby and hear her voice? How was she going to handle that? _Would_ she be able to?

Cedric stopped at the same door that housed Cordelia's room at her own castle and smiled toward the princess. "Wait here just a moment. I'll be right back." Seeing her nod, he knocked on the door and, when it opened, he slipped inside and closed it.

Sofia released a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding and leaned against the wall, her hands fidgeting with her dress before her eyes finally caught sight of her Berry Band. "Nana…" She traced her fingers over the small ring and smiled thoughtfully until she heard the click of the door again. She stood up straighter and released her dress, turning to see Cedric exiting with a tiny child sitting on his shoulder.

The little girl looked nearly identical to Nana, save the pink wings on her back. She did seem happy, despite her circumstances, considering she was humming and kicking her feet back and forth from Cedric's shoulder as she leaned up against his head.

"Sofia," Cedric began, walking toward her, "this is Fayette. Fayette, this is Princess Sofia."

Sofia smiled hesitantly. "Ni… Nice to meet you, Fayette."

The little girl gasped in awe, her tiny hands flying to her cheeks as she flew down from Cedric's shoulder and hovered before the princess. "A _princess_?!" she cooed, her voice like light bells in the winter. "Wow, how cool!"

The princess was frozen to her spot. She literally couldn't fathom how to respond to the child. Her voice was everything she'd ever imagined Nana sounding like if she could only speak. Before she knew it, she'd turned away, stifling a sob into her arm.

"Sofia!" Cedric hurried up to her, his protective instincts for this girl in overdrive for some reason. He never wanted to see _anyone _upset, but this girl was so different. She was right. There _was _some sort of connection between them. He placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. "What is it, my dear?" He reached into his robe and retrieved a handkerchief, passing it to her and watching as she dabbed her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I…" She trailed her eyes to Fayette, who was staring at her in concern. "The little girl _my _Cedric and I adopted…looks so similar to Fayette. Her name is Nana. She has a pretty tragic backstory, which I won't go into detail about right now, but…she can't speak." She took in a shuddering breath before sighing. "And hearing… Hearing Fayette…"

"Oh…" Cedric literally couldn't think of anything else to do except what she'd done for him earlier. He carefully gathered her into his arms, hugging her gently as she held onto his robe. "It's all right, Sofia… I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

"I know you didn't," she sniffled as she looked up at him, smiling as he reached out and wiped her tears away. '_Such a __**Cedric**__ thing to do,_' she thought to herself with an inward sigh. "I'm sorry for being such an emotional sap." She moved backwards a bit, wiping the rest of her tears away and laughing a bit as Fayette flew in front of her again. "I'm sorry for crying in front of you, Fayette… I know this is supposed to be a happy realm."

"It still is, Princess Sofia," she giggled. "Everybody cries though, even happy people. But it's gonna be okay. When my mommy and daddy went away to Happy Fairy Land, and when Mr. Cedric took me in, I was sad at first. But now I'm happy, because he takes care of me, and so do the other nice people in this castle." She nodded affirmatively as Sofia gaped at her. "It's okay to be sad sometimes, but don't let sad stuff stop you from being happy again."

Sofia sighed and smiled at the very intelligent little fairy. She could just imagine Nana giving her the same advice, for some reason. "Thank you so much, Fayette. I really needed to hear that."

She nodded enthusiastically. "Can I give you a hug?" Seeing Sofia nod, she rushed toward her, throwing her tiny arms around her neck as the princess lifted her hands to gently pat her back.

Cedric smiled at the scene, his heart just about to melt at the tenderness of it all. If _this _was what it was like to have 'a Sofia,' maybe it wouldn't be so bad. "Erm, Sofia?"

Fayette flew up and settled on the older girl's shoulder as the princess directed her attention to the sorcerer once more.

"About your quest…and your theory?"

Sofia nodded with a curious expression.

"I…think I'm ready to give it a try."

To be continued…

Next chapter: Making the Connection


	4. Making the Connection

One Step from Paradise

Summary: When Sofia's amulet summons her to aid someone, she's rather taken aback when she discovers that she's in a bizarre alternate universe. Even stranger than that is the person in need of her assistance: Cedric. (Plot idea from Mr. Shortman92)

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or the OCs mentioned here. The Absentia Realm and its OCs belong to Mr. Shortman92. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: All right, you guys! The moment you've probably been waiting for (and SOFIA for SURE has been waiting for) is here! BUT…there's a bit of an emotional twist that's about to be thrown at you. I'd like to thank allyrwhitney for offering up the suggestion that you see in here, as relayed by Mr. Shortman92. It deals heavily with Sofia's perspective, as you'll see. Hope you enjoy the final chapter!

* * *

Chapter 4: Making the Connection

* * *

The next day was nice and calm, with the sun shining and the birds singing. Sofia had stayed in a spare bedroom at the castle overnight, and she'd gotten up early enough to meet up with Cedric and Fayette so that they could eat before traveling to a very familiar village.

The village of Dunwiddie was much the same in the Absentia Realm as it was in the Ever Realm. It was peaceful yet busy, with people operating their daily businesses, and the flow to and from the castle or even out of the kingdom was a steady process.

While Cedric walked with Sofia, he frowned upon realizing something that had been nagging at him. "I wonder why I've never seen your counterpart after all this time," he mumbled to her, dodging a few people as they hurried past him. "As often as Miranda comes to the castle with new shoes, you'd think _you_—er, the _other_ Sofia—would tag along with her."

Sofia shrugged. "When I was younger, if Mom ever went somewhere to make a delivery, she'd always leave me in charge of the shop."

"And you were, what? Five?"

She grinned and shrugged. "Maybe a little older. I was very mature for my age though."

He blinked as Fayette yawned from her spot on his right shoulder. "And why wouldn't she rely instead on your father to watch the shop?" Seeing the look on the princess's face, he immediately wished he could take those words back. "I'm sorry, Sofia… I…"

"It's okay," she assured him, sighing and shaking her head. "My dad was a sailor. He was away a lot when I was a little girl, so he wasn't able to help much with the shop. And then one day, he just…didn't come back." She folded her arms. "Most likely he was lost at sea, but we don't really know for sure. However, I know in my heart that he's gone. In any case, Mom eventually met and fell in love with the king, and they got married, and now the rest is history."

"I see…" He groaned a bit, placing his hand to his forehead and deciding to change the subject. "Maybe this is a bad idea. I honestly doubt she's even going to like me anyway."

Sofia scoffed, grasping his hand and lowering it as she grinned at him. "You're joking, right? This might be a different realm, but you're still Cedric, and she's still Sofia. Trust me: she's going to _love _you."

"Heh…" He hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose we'll see." He stopped when he noticed the shop they were looking for, and he gestured toward Sofia, who blinked. "After you, my dear."

The princess playfully rolled her eyes and walked inside, the sorcerer following behind her. She paused and gaped at the girl behind the counter. "It's…_me_," she muttered softly to herself, the small crowd inside the shop drowning out her voice with their chatting.

Sofia of the Absentia Realm looked quite a bit like her own counterpart, though she was clearly not a princess here. Instead, she worked in the shoe shop with her mother, and she'd been doing so since she was a little girl. Like Sofia, she was cheerful and friendly, but unlike Sofia, she didn't have all the many obligations the princess had. Her life was simple and straightforward, and she seemed rather happy about that.

Her style of dress was more simplistic though still vibrant. She wore a knee-length pink dress with a cream-colored collar and bow wrapped and tied around her waist, as well as matching cuffs on her short sleeves. Her feet were covered with flats that matched her dress, made by Miranda, of course. Her long hair was tied up in a purple band, similar to Sofia's common style. Though her hands showed clear signs of hard work, they were still gentle when handling precious things, such as new shoes for the royal family, or her little brother Corban. Unlike Sofia, she wore no jewelry of any kind: no rings, no bracelets, no amulets, or anything like that. Aside from her lack of use for them, the job environment simply wouldn't allow for it.

Cedric turned away from the village girl and gave the princess a distraught look. "I don't know if I can do this, Sofia," he admitted, sounding nervous. "How do I even begin? 'Hi, I'm Cedric the Great from the castle, and I've been dead inside for years; however, your counterpart came from an alternate realm via her own matching amulet to mine, and she's insisted that I meet you to heal the gaping hole in my heart. Want to be friends?'"

Sofia smiled somewhat sardonically at him, rolling her eyes. "That's _one _way to scare her off, actually… Maybe you could ask her about making you a new pair of shoes, huh?"

"Well, sure, I could always use a new pair." He lifted his right leg up, grinning as he stretched his foot to show her one of the immaculate loafers he wore. "But just one thing." He set his foot on the floor again before gesturing toward the princess. "How am I to explain _you_, exactly?"

"You seem to forget that we have the power of the Amulet of Avalor, Cedric." She winked before holding onto the amulet, and after glancing around quickly, she whispered to it, "I wish to be small!"

Cedric quickly caught Sofia before she fell to the ground, and he placed her on his shoulder right next to Fayette, who was now much bigger than her for a change.

"You can do it, Mr. Cedric," Fayette cheered her guardian on, grinning.

The sorcerer nodded as he felt a mild surge of confidence flow through him, and he strolled up to the counter after the other customers left. "I beg your pardon," he began calmly and kindly, smiling gently at the startled auburn-haired shoemaker.

"Oh, my," the Absentia Realm Sofia breathed before grinning, squealing as she held her hands to her flushed cheeks (and causing both Cedric and Fayette, not to mention several other customers nearby, to wince at the sound). "I can't believe this! _The_ Ceedric the Great is in _my_ shop! Oh, my goodness!"

He laughed at her reaction. As it turned out, the princess was right. "It's Cedric, actually," he corrected, smiling.

"O-Ooh!" She blushed a bit more, albeit modestly, as she grinned apologetically. "I'm sorry… Is it all right if I call you Mr. Cedric?"

Cedric nodded. "Certainly, if you'd like."

The village girl laughed as she clasped her hands together. "I have followed your career for such a long time now," she gushed, leaning a bit closer to him as he stayed steady. "I absolutely love magic, so the fact that _you_, a royal sorcerer, have decided to visit our humble establishment…" She sighed in delight, giggling. "Clover's Carrots, what an _honor_!"

"Oh, no," Sofia laughed to herself. "Not that dreaded 'catchphrase.' Even _that _managed to transfer here?" She tilted her head thoughtfully. "I wonder if there's a Clover here too then. But…she probably can't talk to him, since she doesn't have the amulet. Hmm. Maybe just a pet then?" There were too many questions she had, but she knew that right now was not the time to ask them. She had to be patient and let things between them play out.

Cedric laughed at her enthusiastic reaction. "You like magic, you say?" Seeing her nod, he asked, "Do you not practice it on your own?"

She shook her head. "Oh, no. They don't teach it in our schools in the village, and even after I graduated recently, there weren't a lot of opportunities for a shoemaker to study it." She smiled and shrugged as he frowned a bit. "It's all right, though. Even though magic never worked out for me, I've at least got a great family." She gasped, slapping her forehead. "I am _so _sorry! I was over here, gushing my admiration for _you_, and I never even told you my name!" She giggled as she held out a hand to him. "I'm Sofia."

He had to play it calmly, so he just smiled and accepted her hand. "Sofia…" He blinked as he felt a rush of familiarity flood through him: something he couldn't explain. It was like he'd _always_ known this girl, although they'd only just met. And even the princess version of Sofia he'd only met _yesterday_. But unlike the Ever Realm Sofia, although he did feel protective over her, this particular feeling toward the villager just seemed a bit more…natural. Like it was meant to be or something.

Absentia Sofia glanced down at their interlocked hands before looking back up at Cedric, who blushed and quickly retrieved his hand, muttering an apology. She giggled.

"Sofia?"

Both girls turned as they heard a warm male voice call out to the village girl. While Absentia Sofia just smiled happily, the princess stared at the man in shock.

"D-Daddy?" she asked softly, her eyes widening at the sight of none other than Birk Balthazar in the door frame.

Sofia's birth father, Birk, was a little bit taller than Cedric and had a more muscular frame. His skin was somewhat sun kissed, due to being out on the ocean as a sailor so often. His eyes echoed the same shade of blue as his daughter's, though they were somewhat sharper due to his age and experience. His short unkempt hair was the same hue as Sofia's, the ends just brushing the collar of his white uniform. His auburn beard and mustache matched his hair and both were trimmed neatly. He appeared to have just returned from one of his recent trips, as indicated by his appearance.

"Hi, Dad!" Absentia Sofia greeted cheerfully, smiling. "Glad you're back home." She gestured toward Cedric, who blinked at her in confusion. "This is Mr. Cedric. He's a sorcerer! The _royal _sorcerer from the _castle_, I'll have you know." She grinned toward the dark-haired magic wielder, who stepped back a bit as she leaned forward again. "I'm just _so _not worthy of being in your presence, but I'm absolutely thrilled that you've even come here!"

Birk rolled his eyes at his daughter's overly dramatic declaration as he walked toward Cedric, extending his hand and smiling as they shook hands. "Birk Balthazar. My wife Miranda has worked on shoe requests several times through the castle's orders. She's mentioned you a couple of times, specifically the interesting request for black loafers with purple soles." He smiled as Cedric flushed a bit, feeling foolish. "She said that was by far the most _unique_ pair of shoes she's ever made."

Fayette glanced down toward Sofia, who was exceptionally quiet and appeared to be in a state of shock next to her. She frowned in concern and reached up, tugging on Cedric's robe, before pointing toward the tiny princess next to her.

Cedric noticed her expression and decided something needed to be addressed, because she _clearly _seemed uncomfortable. "Um, yes, do tell your wife they're much appreciated. Erm, if you'll excuse me a moment, please?" Upon hearing the confused agreement from the father and daughter, he slipped out the door and hurried over to a tree, where he gently scooped Sofia from his shoulder and placed her onto the ground.

Sofia transformed back to normal again, though she turned and faced away from both Cedric and Fayette. "…This was a bad idea," she told them softly, her voice laced with evident emotion.

"A bad idea?" Cedric echoed. "This was actually _your _idea, my dear. You insisted I meet your counterpart to help me feel like I'm not missing something in my life, and you very well could have been onto something."

"I know, but…" She folded her arms. "I didn't expect to see…_him_."

"Him?"

Fayette gasped softly before placing her hands to her cheeks. "Your daddy, right? Your real daddy…"

"I-It's fine." But she knew it wasn't. It was remarkable that her father still looked exactly as she remembered, except for the fact that he had a few silver hairs here and there and was obviously a bit older than when she last recalled seeing him. But he was still her father… "Just…" She sighed, leaning against the tree. "Go get the other Sofia and bring her out here so we can set everything in motion. I'll explain everything, and you guys can get to know each other, and hopefully things click into place."

Cedric frowned. "Are you sure, Sofia?"

She nodded. "Yes." She watched as the sorcerer turned and walked back to the shop, though she noticed that Fayette had fluttered up to the nearest branch of the tree and was sitting there, swinging her tiny legs back and forth while observing her. "What is it?"

Fayette smiled knowingly. "I remember how sad I was when I lost my daddy too," she explained. "And my mommy."

Sofia shook her head slowly. "I know, Fayette, and I'm so sorry you went through that." She sighed, running her hands through her hair. "The problem I have is that…I never really knew for sure that my dad was gone. I mean, it's pretty obvious to me now, of course, but…" She closed her eyes, frowning. "Growing up without him… Without having him to play with me, or teach me to fish, or take me sailing like we used to do…" She opened her eyes again, frustrated to find that they were beginning to mist over a bit. Aggravated, she reached up and wiped the moisture away. "That was really hard. But now, he's _here_…"

The little fairy didn't have time to respond as the other Sofia and Absentia Cedric walked over toward the tree, the former with her hands over her eyes.

Cedric gestured toward Sofia, who frowned at him curiously before shaking her head in mild amusement once she understood. He placed his hands over the other girl's shoulders and told her, "All right. You can open your eyes now."

The village girl dropped her hands and gasped sharply upon seeing her double, her eyes wide and her stance practically frozen. "I—I… Ahh!" She ran and hid behind Cedric, hiding her eyes again.

Sofia blinked at the strange reaction before glancing toward Cedric, who shrugged as he returned her mystified stare. "Um… Are you okay?"

"Dah! Don't look at me!" The other girl waved her hand toward Sofia, keeping her other hand over her eyes. "Lucinda, a witch from my village, told me that we all have a twin or something like that, and if we ever meet our doppelganger, we'll end up…" She shuddered. "Well… Less than living, I guess is the best way of putting it."

Sofia raised an eyebrow at the girl's words before folding her arms. "You mean _dead_?"

"AH! Don't _say _that word!" Absentia Sofia breathed in slowly, trying to calm herself down. "Think happy thoughts, Sofie… Happy."

"Sofie?" Cedric asked, looking behind him at the much more relaxed girl. "Is that your nickname or something?"

Absentia Sofia—or Sofie—finally opened her eyes and grinned at him. "Yeah. That's what my little brother Corban likes to call me, so I just adopted the nickname, I guess." She then gestured back toward Sofia, though she kept her distance. "Meanwhile, is anyone going to explain what's going on here? I'm a _little _freaked out."

"You don't say," Sofia quipped, sounding every bit as sarcastic and annoyed as her partner. '_Amber's right_,' she thought with an inward laugh. '_We really __**do**__ spend too much time together_.' She shook her head before walking toward the other two, placing her hands on her hips as the village girl hid behind Cedric again. "You can stop hiding from me. I'm not a ghost or a doppelganger or whatever you think I am. I'm Sofia too, but I'm from the Ever Realm."

"The what now?" Hearing that she wasn't her dreaded evil copy, Sofie looked around Cedric toward the other girl and blinked. "The Ever Realm?"

"You might as well sit down," Sofia insisted, gesturing toward the ground as she used her wand to conjure a large purple blanket. "It's a long story."

"I'll say!" the other Sofia enthused with a gasp. "You're a _sorceress_! How?! When?!"

The princess laughed. "It's a _really_ long story…"

* * *

Just as she did for Cedric, Sofia relayed her side of the story to her counterpart, and now Fayette was there to hear more from her perspective. Of course, she left out a few things that might have caused this particular realm some anguish (like the whole Never Realm fiasco, and she also made Cedric's betrayal in her original timeline more of a 'misunderstanding between friends,' so as not to upset Sofie). By the time she was finished, all three were sitting there, staring at the princess in awe.

"So, let me get this straight," Sofie began, holding up a hand. "I'm a _princess_ in another realm, along with about a million other titles apparently… _And _I've got an entirely different set of family members, who just so happen to be _our_ royal family… I still have a little brother named Corban, except he is Mom's and King Roland's child instead of Mom's and Dad's…" She held her hands to her head, trying to fathom everything. "And Mr. Cedric, whom I've just met but have admired for many years, is my best friend, and we're raising a child who escaped a dark cult together?"

"And she used to be a _strawberry_?" Fayette added, still a bit surprised by her own counterpart's origins. She swallowed nervously. "I don't think I'm gonna eat strawberries ever again."

"I know it's a lot to take in," Sofia admitted, sighing. "But I felt it was important that you guys knew my background and why I'm here, and why it's so important for you two to know each other and connect. In every realm I've seen so far, Cedric and I…" She shrugged. "We have an undeniable bond. It's like we were always meant to meet." She gestured toward the Cedric in front of her. "You said yourself that you felt like something was missing." She then turned to her counterpart. "And _you_ said you'd always wanted to meet _him_. Come _on_, you guys… Put two and two together!"

"That's four!" Fayette giggled, breaking a bit of tension as she grinned at the other three. "Sorry. It is though."

"As wonderful as creating a connection with Sofie would be," Cedric began, glancing at the princess seriously, "a friendship doesn't just happen out of thin air. It would take a great deal of communication and bonding. Not to mention patience."

Which Sofia was quickly running out of… She wasn't necessarily wanting to rush this inevitable friendship, but she desperately wanted to go home to her own realm and family. Her Cedric knew she'd been summoned, but she'd been gone overnight. If she was gone too long, he might rip open the fabric of time itself to chase after her or something, just to make sure she was all right. Comforted by that random thought, she stood up, folding her arms and smiling down at the other two. "You're right, Cedric."

He blinked up at her. "I…am?"

"Friendship can't be rushed. And it also shouldn't be affected by an outside source." She pointed over her shoulder. "I'm going for a walk for a while so you guys can get to know each other better." She nodded once toward them before turning and heading off.

Cedric and Sofie exchanged glances before blinking and laughing as Fayette sighed dramatically, collapsing against her guardian, clearly exhausted and overwhelmed by the events.

"So, where should we begin?" Sofie wondered, smiling at the sorcerer. "Not that I can actually _believe _I'm talking to you. You're just—ah!—perfection."

"Let's start there." Cedric shook his head. "I'm not perfect—not even close. And while I appreciate your admiration, just understand that I'm not that different from you. I may know and practice magic, but I'm every bit as human as you are."

She gaped at him for a few moments before nodding. "Y-Yeah…" She giggled, playfully nudging him as she felt a little more at ease. "Somehow, I like that better. Magic is wonderful, and I'd love to learn more about it, but…" She smiled gently at him. "I've always been more curious about the _sorcerer_ than the magic itself."

He blushed modestly, laughing sheepishly. "Really?"

She laughed lightly. "Really."

* * *

While the other two were talking, Sofia was walking along through the alleys of Dunwiddie, lost in her thoughts. Seeing the Absentia versions of herself and Cedric starting to form the basis of a friendship so much later in life than what she'd experienced was surreal to her, but she also was of the mindset that it was better late than never. To her, they just _went _together. It was inevitable.

She'd had her head down, watching her boots scuff along the pathway, the toe of her shoe kicking a tiny pebble as she walked. Therefore, she didn't watch where she was going as she suddenly accidentally collided into someone. "Oof! Sorry…" She glanced up, only to gasp, startled. "O-Oh, I…"

Birk chuckled as he reached out and grasped the princess's shoulders. "Sorry, Sofia," he apologized, smiling at his daughter's counterpart. "I was wondering where you'd gone. Your mother asked me to tell you that we'll be having your favorite for supper tonight."

"Oh!" She forced a smile to her face, though she could feel her heart beating erratically and her emotions welling up within her. Being in this situation was _so weird_ and had happened _so fast _that she wasn't sure how to react. "G-Great, um, _D-Dad_, thanks…"

The older man hummed thoughtfully as he tilted his head, his eyes scanning her. "Are you all right? You seem…different, somehow."

Sofia blinked, trying to regain her composure. "I'm…fine. Just a little tired, I guess."

He laughed. "I told you not to spend so much time reading all those magic books so late at night. While I don't mind, you do need your rest." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, completely oblivious to the fact that she'd just frozen in her spot. "I'll see you at home. By the way, nice outfit. I've never seen that one before." He chuckled as she gaped at him. "Did your mother make it?"

"What? Oh, n-no, I—"

"Oh, _you_ made it. Of course!" He nodded. "You're getting even better at your seamstress skills. I'm proud of you, Sofia." After gently stroking her cheek, he moved onward, heading back toward the house Sofia had once called home many years ago.

Sofia was shaking, all sorts of thoughts rushing through her mind and uncertainty wracking her brain. She'd just interacted with her father again, for the first time in many years. Granted, he was not _her _father, but he was about as close as she would ever get again. "H-He's proud of me…" She shook her head. "N-No… No, he's proud of Sofie…" She folded her arms, trying to comfort herself as tears came to her eyes. "I always wished I could see my daddy again… To have him in my life: to get his hugs, his encouragement, his love…"

She turned, walking back down the path toward the area she'd left the other Cedric and Sofia. "I loved my daddy so much… Still do. But… If he'd never been lost at sea, I never would have become a princess…" She frowned. "I never would have had Amber and James—or Corban—as my siblings. My dad wouldn't be my _dad_…" Her frown softened a bit. "I wouldn't have gone to Royal Prep and Ever Realm Academy, or become a Protector and sorceress, or met Cedric and Nana… I could have had my daddy in my life, but I would have lost everything and everyone else…" She stopped, glancing back at her retreating counterpart's father. "I love you, Daddy. I always have and always will…" She sighed, her mind made up as she turned and walked forward again. "But despite everything, and despite all the heartbreak I felt when I knew you weren't coming back home…" She managed a small smile as she saw the other two in the distance, laughing and grinning at each other, and even playing with little Fayette. "I'm happy with my life now. Everything always works out like it should…"

About half an hour later, a giggling duo of Absentia Cedric and Sofia (or Sofie) glanced up as the princess approached them again, a calm expression on her face as she stood before them.

"Hi, Sofia from the Great Beyond," Sofie joked, grinning at her. "You were right." She turned toward Cedric, smiling happily at him. "We just needed a little time to get to know each other."

Cedric nodded. "I'm going to teach Sofie some magic spells to start off, but I'm also thinking about making her my apprentice."

Sofia laughed. "I can't imagine how you came to _that _decision." She glanced down as her amulet began glowing, and upon looking up toward Cedric, she noticed that his seemed to glimmer in response. A soft smile graced her features. "Looks like my job is done. I'm glad I got to meet you guys. Take care!" She waved before disappearing altogether.

Fayette blinked as she saw a now-empty area where Sofia had once stood. "Where'd she go?"

"Home, Fayette," Cedric responded, playfully ruffling her hair and eliciting a giggle from his charge. "And we must do the same." He glanced toward Sofie. "Would you like to come to the castle for tea and fly cakes?"

She raised her eyebrows. "What are fly cakes?"

The sorcerer chuckled, pulling her briskly to her feet. "Oh, my dear Sofie, I have _so_ much to teach you."

* * *

Cedric gasped, startled, as Sofia reappeared in his bedchambers, though she was standing at the foot of his bed. He clambered off the bed, careful not to awaken the sleeping Nana. "Sofia, what took you so long?"

She frowned. "How long was I gone? Was it a day?"

"A day?" He shook his head. "No, of course not. A few hours, maybe…"

"Really? I guess time must work differently there…" She shook her head.

Cedric blinked as she moved forward, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. He hummed quietly, placing his head atop hers and gently stroking her hair. "So, which princess needed your help?"

Sofia snickered at his question, causing him to loosen his grip on her as she smirked up at him. "It was_ you_, actually."

He frowned. "I beg your pardon?"

She poked his chest. "Apparently, there's _another _alternative universe out there called the Absentia Realm. And it's nearly perfect. But here are a few weird facts about it: one, I'm not a princess; two, _you_ own the Amulet of Avalor and everything else I possess; three—"

"Whoa, back up. What?" He gestured vaguely as she giggled. "I'm basically…_you_…in this other realm?" Seeing her nod, he asked, "So what does that make you? A royal sorceress?"

"Ugh, I _wish_. That would have been _so _cool." She smiled as he laughed. "No, I was just a village girl again. But get this: we had never met. It was my job to get us together."

"Why hadn't we met exactly?"

Her smile became a bit more solemn though contemplative. "Several reasons. Mainly, Queen Lorelei had survived giving birth to Amber and James, so she and Dad were still married. Apparently, my birth dad, Birk, was also still alive and married to my mom, and Corban was _their_ child instead. And…" She rubbed her head, trying to recall details. "Everything was practically perfect. Nothing bad seemed to happen. No one died, or not really, anyway. _You_ had a perfect upbringing and were the star of the castle, with everyone always praising you."

"Wow…" He laughed lightly. "Never thought I'd hear that."

"But… You were apparently missing something." She giggled as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "For all the accolades and honors you had, you apparently needed your Sofia."

He smiled fondly at her, gently guiding her back into a hug. "_My_ Sofia, hmm?"

She nodded, sighing. "Yeah… And I found our counterparts and got them together. They became friends, which allowed me to come back here. Oh, and Nana has a counterpart named Fayette, and…she can talk."

Cedric gasped quietly. "Really? …What…um…?" He cleared his throat. "W-What did her voice sound like?"

The princess smiled softly as she glanced toward Nana, who was still asleep. "Like winter bells: soft and light. Everything I'd ever imagined…"

He felt a strange sense of contentment wash over him after hearing this information. Somehow, it comforted him to know that a version of Nana somewhere _could _talk. It gave him hope that their little Strawbaby might someday get the same opportunity. He gazed at his partner a few moments, his hand gently grasping her chin and causing her to glance up at him. "You look as though you've seen a ghost, though. Side effects of this particular quest?"

Sofia considered his words before sighing, leading him toward his bed after he'd released her chin. She sat down on one side of Nana as he did the same on the opposite side. "I think it's just the shock of everything, especially seeing my father again." She saw him nod as she lay down next to their sleeping charge, the little girl's breathing slow and steady as she played with her hair. "And you know, I was thinking… Even though having my daddy back in my life would have been wonderful, if it had meant giving up everything I have now, including you guys…" She shook her head as he watched her. "I couldn't do it."

"You… You couldn't?" He frowned as she shook her head again. "He's your father, Sofia."

"I know. And I love him so much. But I've accepted that he's gone, and even though I still feel his absence sometimes…" She smiled kindly at him. "…A whole bunch of people came into my life not long after and helped fill that void. And besides…" She reached out, grasping his hand. "I couldn't give _you_ up for anything."

Cedric returned her smile, squeezing her hand. "Oh, Sofia…"

"You and Nana mean everything to me, Cedric… And I've known that for a long time now."

He released her hand and gently brushed his fingers over her cheek, smiling as she closed her eyes and sighed tiredly. "Get some sleep, my dear."

Sofia nodded and settled down, snuggling next to Nana, soon falling asleep.

Cedric watched the two girls sleeping for a few moments before standing up and grabbing a large blanket from his nearby armchair. He then carefully draped it over the princess and the little strawberry girl. "Sleep well, my darling girls." He kissed both of their foreheads before leaving for his workshop again.

Sofia smiled in her sleep, a feeling of peace washing over her once more.

The end

NOTE: A bonus chapter is next. Consider it a what-if scenario, in which Cedric and Sofia from the Ever Realm, Abstruce Realm, AND Absentia Realm meet up and pair off to get to know each other better. Hilarity and uncomfortableness ensue! Lol. Consider it a detached _semi_-canon story. 😉


	5. BONUS CHAPTER--Realm Remix

One Step from Paradise

Summary: When Sofia's amulet summons her to aid someone, she's rather taken aback when she discovers that she's in a bizarre alternate universe. Even stranger than that is the person in need of her assistance: Cedric. (Plot idea from Mr. Shortman92)

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or the OCs mentioned here. The Absentia Realm and its OCs belong to Mr. Shortman92. Nana and Abstruce Cedric and Sofia belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: This chapter is a literal piece of random hilarity that I came up with WAY back when planning for this story. There's no real rhyme or reason to it, and I'm not even sure how or why these groups are all together, but just take it as it is. We'll call this the BLOOPER or DELETED SCENE chapter, I suppose. Haha. :D So…brace yourselves for craziness, cuteness, and just fluffiness, I guess. Haha. PS: THIS is the last chapter, officially. 😊

* * *

Chapter 5: Realm Remix

* * *

**Cedric & Absentia Sofia/Sofie:**

"You are just the coolest person ever, Mr. Ceedric!" Sofie cheered happily as she snuggled Cedric's arm before gasping dramatically and sitting up, placing her hands in her lap. She blinked when she saw that Cedric seemed to be blushing darkly, scooting away from her a bit on the picnic blanket. "Did I do something wrong?"

"N-No, of course not, my dear…" He cleared his throat. "I'm just…not a very…" He shrugged as he ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I like my space is all."

"Oh…" Sofie nodded in understanding. "Right. M-Me too." She looked away as she played with her hair. "So… What's it like being a sorcerer?" She grinned excitedly as she leaned toward him, causing him to fall backwards as she yet again invaded his space. "Is magic everything I think it is?! Mom and Dad don't know magic, so neither do I, but I'd _love_ to learn it." She pointed toward the other Cedric, who seemed to be _very_ intimidated by Fia. "I'm kind of hoping _that_ Mr. Ceedric is going to teach me some one of these days, but we've sort of only just met recently, so we're still getting used to each other."

"Right…" Cedric scrambled to a sitting position once again before shaking his head. "First of all, if you're really wanting to get to know either of us, say our name correctly: Cedric. Said-rick."

"Ah, right! How silly of me!" She giggled and nodded. "Mr. Cedric. Is that right?"

Cedric scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yes… It's a miracle how you can pick that up in five minutes, and yet it took _my_ Sofia a whole _year_ to remember."

From the other side of the courtyard, Sofia from the Ever Realm yelled, "Let it go, already!"

He smirked and chuckled before glancing down, noting the other Sofia's closeness. He swallowed nervously. "My dear, we've already talked about this—"

"You smell _ah-mazing_." She grinned as she grabbed his robe and inhaled. "Like chemicals, cookies, and perfume? Hmm?"

He shuffled away from her before stammering, "W-Well, Sofia _did_ hug me earlier…"

"Ooh… You get a lot of hugs from her, huh?" She giggled as he blushed a bit. "I can understand why…" She leapt forward, hugging him as he yelped. "You're so huggable!"

"We've talked about the space thing!" He sighed in defeat before gently patting the village girl's head. "Hmm…" He then smiled thoughtfully. "Same old Sofia, no matter what realm, I see…"

* * *

**Absentia Cedric & Fia**

Absentia Cedric sat across from the auburn-haired princess on their own picnic blanket. He winced as he noticed her staring him down, those blue eyes rather cold as they focused on him. She was a _lot_ different from the other two Sofias. Her hair was much shorter, first of all, and she seemed to favor armor. She also seemed a lot more serious and didn't smile as much. Maybe she just needed a cookie?

"Would you like a cookie?" Cedric asked as he fished one out of a bag. "Queen Lorelei made them for me earlier, and they're scrumptious!"

"Who says 'scrumptious?'" Fia asked, rolling her eyes before sighing and reaching out, taking the cookie from him. "Thanks." She nibbled a bit on the cookie before blinking. "This is actually good."

"Of course, silly! Everything the queen makes is divine!"

Fia frowned thoughtfully. "It's so strange to me that your queen is alive. Ours has been dead for many years." She blinked as he reached forward and placed a hand over her mouth and a finger of his own, shushing her. She scowled and slapped his hand away.

"OUCH!"

She glared at him. "I don't care if you _are_ Cedric. Don't do something like that, especially considering the fact that I could drop-kick you if I wanted to. It's not good to startle someone with all the training I've had."

"I… I apologize. It's just…" He shrugged. "Our realm is such a happy realm. No one d—passes away."

Fia narrowed her eyes at him.

"Everyone is good. There is no evil or crime. The worst thing I've ever seen happen was Prince James trip over a stuffed bunny, but he was laughing when he did so and didn't get hurt."

"What? Do you people live in a bubble or something?" She smirked, causing him to squirm. "Wanna hear how _my_ realm has played out so far?"

"Not if it's going to give me nightmares…"

The princess laughed wryly. "Why not? Might as well share mine with someone…" She ticked off everything on her fingers. "My dad went missing when I was little and is probably dead. Amber's and James's mom died giving birth to them. Our country _just_ got out of a very long war, and we're still rebuilding and getting used to having peace. I slept on tattered mattresses for the last nine or so years. Our orphanage is full right now due to the war. Oh…" She pointed at him. "And _you_—or your counterpart, rather—betrayed me and my family once when you took over the kingdom."

"Well, that seems like a harsh thing to do," he commented, causing Fia to roll her eyes. "I wouldn't ever do such a thing. I wouldn't make a good king anyway." He shrugged. "Kings don't get to do magic all the time, and that's what I enjoy most." He smiled obliviously.

Fia gave him a reproachful stare. "Glad to see my tales of woe _really _had an impact on you."

"Well, I could give you a hug—" He grinned and held out his arms; he'd gotten more used to hugs recently with Sofie, and he found he quite enjoyed them.

She shook her head and waved her hands. "No, no. That's okay." She laughed somewhat nervously. "I don't really do hugs much unless they're from certain people.

Cedric blinked before grinning. "You're strange."

Fia lifted one eyebrow at him before smirking. "You're one to talk."

* * *

**Abstruse Cedric/Ceddy & Sofia**

"It's been some time since we last saw each other, Princess Sofia," Ceddy mentioned, watching as she laid out all the plates of food for them. "And you don't have to do that."

"It's fine," she assured him, smiling. "Cedric and I go picnicking all the time now."

He smirked, causing her to blush. "Ah, just 'Cedric' now, eh? Well, that's a good change, I suppose." He chuckled as she nervously tucked some hair behind her ear. "One sign of moving forward."

"Y-Yeah, you could call it that…" She pointed toward a small tart on a plate. "That's a boysenberry tart. Baileywick loves them."

"I'll have to ask him when we get back, though he and I don't exactly have the best relationship." He picked the tart up and began eating it, humming in appreciation at the flavor.

Sofia giggled. "I think that's _any_ Cedric and Baileywick combination, though they have gotten closer since Baileywick's retirement recently." She looked in the distance, noticing her more serious counterpart actually laughing at something the Absentia Cedric had said. "She seems happier now. At least a little bit."

"Things have been a great deal better, Princess." He dusted off his hands. "Fia and I are currently training with a new magical army to help protect our kingdom from invasion."

"Let me guess: the Never Realm?"

He frowned curiously, shaking his head. "Never heard of that. And I just mean in general. You never quite know what will happen, and I will not have us being caught off-guard like last time."

She nodded. "I get it. Trust me." She then turned and looked toward her own Cedric, a soft smile coming to her face as she watched him trying to pry the Absentia Sofia from his arm. "Hmm. I guess some things don't change."

"Hmm?" Ceddy turned and laughed softly upon seeing the village girl's antics. "I'll be honest. I'm rather glad I was partnered with you instead of Grabby Gabby over there."

The princess grinned. "Did you just make a _joke_?"

He smirked. "I believe I did." He playfully tapped her nose, causing her to giggle. "Don't get used to it, my dear. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event."

"I'll take what I can get." She lifted her glass of grape juice. "To friendship?"

The sorcerer nodded as he copied her, clinking his glass with hers. "To friendship."

THE END!


End file.
